Test-plug.



A. J. LOEPSINGER.

TEST PLUG.

APPLICATION nuzo Aue.2s. 1916.

1,250,603. Patented Dec; 18, 1917.-

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v To all whom it mag concern;

ALBERT; jar, nonrsriifennjor enement;magnesi liss zeiibitird Ghanaian; F inn i BIQ M ANY E tm ibwe actress-P 9 179? A :Applicationfiled-nugiistgh,151,6. ffs er ianvbjnae s, w;

Be it known that I, ALB RT J .LOnrsrnGiEii,

. a citizen of the-United'j:States,' residing at Edgewood, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode il'slan'd', rh'ave inventedi cer-:.- tain new and useful Improvements in'Test:-

Plugs, of which the following is a specification'.

After an automatic sprinkler system has been installed and before it is connected to the water supply it is the practice to subject it to a testing pressure considerably in excess of the intended service pressure in order to determine whether any leaks exist,- and this is usually done by temporarily closing the end of the underground supply conduit, atthe point where it is to be connected to the water supply, by means of a so-called test plug, through which the system is pumped full of water and subjected to the desired testing pressure. The present invention relates totest plugs of thischaracter, and is intended to provide a simple and practical plug construction which can be readily attached toand detached from the open end of the pipe system to be tested, will afford a tight closure therefor, and will be secure against detachment by the testing pressure employed. 7

The underground supply conduit for an automatic sprinkler system is commonly composed of sections of cast iron pipe having their adjacent ends telescoped and provided with the usual form of calked joint, consisting of yarn and lead packing, with the enlarged end of such a pipe section constituting the entrance to the system. The embodiment of my invention hereinafter described is particularly designed for u'sein connection with piping of the character just referred to, and is illustrated in its preferred form in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through the enlarged end of a length of pipe, with my test plug applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same parts,

' hoii d i'l o i dwit ii ithepipe a i p n where. its enlargedjportion; terminates, and:

4 indicates an internal annulargroovewhich receives the lead packing and holds it in closing the. pipe, which consists of a circular plate 5 of suitable diameter and having a threaded opening into which is screwed employed for testing the system is introduced and pumped up to the necessary pressure. i A suitable gasket 7'; is placed between the shoulder 3 and the plate 5 in orderto secure a fluid-tight closure.

' As described thus. far the arrangement is similaruto that heretofore employed, but instead of forcing the plate 5 against the gasket -7 by means of devices clamped to p the exterior of the pipe section 2, as has been the practiceheretofore, I employ for that purpose a ring 8 adapted to be inserted within the enlarged end of the pipe section 2 andcarrying a number of threaded bolts 9 which pass transversely through the ring and can be screwed outward or inward from the interior of the latter, the outer ends of these bolts beinglocatedyin the same plane and adapted to enter the groove 4. The ring 8 also carries a number of'other threaded bolts l0 which pass through the ring between the bolts 9 in a direction at right angles to the length of'the latter and are arranged to bear at their inner ends against the outer face of the plate 5 near its edge, which is shown as provided with a shallow groove to receive the ends of said bolts. v

In usingthe parts above described, after the gasket 7 and the plate 5 have been placed in position in the pipe section 2 the ring 8 is inserted and firmly secured in place by screwing the bolts 9 outward, whereupon the bolts 10 are screwed forward until the plate 5 is held against the gasket under a pressure sufficient to provide a tight closure.q

The pipe 6 is then screwed into the plate 5, 10 or this may be done befo're the plate is inserted, and then the pipe system is tested by pumping water into it through the pipe 6 in the usual way. The bolts are then unscrewed and the parts are removedpleaving the end of the pipe section 2 ready for connection to the supplysystem. 7

It is an important advantage of my testbut' -it win be understood meatsdetails plug west-manta that the devices bj niafi I claiin v c V 1 15 of Which the plate 5 is held in position in rAtestvplug comprisingapipe-closing memthe pipe section to Which it is applied are her and a ring adapted to be inserted into the locaj'tedftyliolly' Iv'vithifth'e' latter',si11'ce' it is open end "'o f'the" pipe; saidjring beingjpro ofteddiflicfilt someti'fiies'irfipossible to Vide'dWith tlii e'ade'd"bolts'extendiiig :tr'anshold the pipe-closing member SeCuI'e1y"uill"" versely through the ring frolxi""itsinterior ?0 position by clamping devices applied to" the r and with other threaded bolts extending at eXterior of the pipe section.- Other useful;- right angles to the first-mentioned bolts and characteristics" of'th'd'coiis'truction herein adapted to bear against the outi-"'face""of described reside in its "simp lieity-*afld its -'the pipe closiii-g fnember.

freedom' from liability to get out of order, Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this 23rd 25 day of August, I916. Y bemodified"i11 varibue ways'without a 'I Q- ny inveutfoua"- ALBERT LLOEPSINGERI- 

